Sammendrag
Background and aims: Psoriasis is a common chronic
skin condition, causing skin lesions with thickened and
scaling skin, as well as erythema and inflammation that
may involve painful sores, cracks, and pustules. Previously
psoriasis was regarded as a painless skin condition.
However, over the past decade studies show that skin
pain is a frequently reported and bothersome symptom
in patients with psoriasis. There is however a lack of rich
narratives describing the experience of skin pain in these
patients. The aims of this qualitative study were therefore
to explore in depth how patients experience psoriasisrelated
skin pain, and how they deal with it.
Methods: Thirteen patients with psoriasis were recruited
from a dermatology ward and outpatient clinic. One of the
investigators (TML) performed individual, semi-structured
interviews at an undisturbed room in the hospital. Interviews
were thematically analyzed using the method of Systematic
Text Condensation as described by Malterud (2012).
Results: Three main themes were identified from the interviews.
First, the skin pain experience was complex. Patients
used a variety of adjectives and metaphors to describe
their pain, and their skin was sensitive to stimuli of everyday
activities. Itch was a common cosymptom, and could
both mask pain but also cause severe pain due to excessive
scratching and damage to the skin. Second, skin pain
had a negative impact on patients’ life. Skin pain reduced
their physical activity level, impaired their sleep, and made
them irritable, depressed, unconcentrated on tasks, as well
as withdrawn from other people and social activities. Third,
patients dealt with their skin pain in various ways. Although
some took action to relieve the pain and distract themselves
from pain, most of the patients applied maladaptive
and passive coping strategies such as put up with it, avoid
painful activities, become fearful or trivialize their pain.
Conclusions: The experience of psoriasis related skin
pain is complex. The pain has a major negative impact on
patients’ life in terms of physical, emotional, cognitive,
and social functions. Patients use a variety of adaptive but
most frequently maladaptive coping strategies in order to
deal with their skin pain.
Implications: This study provides new and in-depth
knowledge on psoriasis related skin pain. This information
is valuable for further work on pain assessment tools
and pain management recommendations customized for
skin pain experienced by patients with psoriasis.
Vis fullstendig beskrivelse